Folding stand or support.



W. J. ARMSTRONG.

FOLDING STAND 0R SUPPORT. APPLICATION HLEIS siPrfzs. ms.

1,241,486. Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

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} wa /W nnrrnn srnrns rnrnnr @FFIQE WESLEY J'. ARMSTRONG, Z6 BUFFALO,NEW YORK, ASSIGNQR TO MCKINNON DASH COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

FDIJDING STAND 0R SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented (Dot. 2, 1917.

Application filed September 23, 1915. Serial No. 52,218. i

-ports, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to a folding portable supporting device or standprimarily intended for use inconnection with motorcycles for supportingthe front wheels thereof off of the ground while repairingtires.

The object of the invention is to produce a desirable and practicalsupporting device or stand of this kind of strong and light construction.which can be folded or collapsed into compact form so that it can, ifdesired, be carried in a tool bag.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side elevation of asupporting device embodying the invention, showing in dotted lines amotorcycle supported thereby.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the supporting device on an enlargedscale, showing the parts thereof in operative positions to support anarticle.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view thereof showing the parts swung into theircollapsed positions.

The supporting device is herein described as used for supporting amotorcycle but it is not intended thereby to limit the invention to suchuse only, since the device could, if desired, be used for supportingother articles. v

Briefly stated, the device consists of a skeleton metal structure,comprising a base and two framespivoted at their lower ends to the baseand adapted to be connected near their upper ends to secure them intheir operative supporting. position and to be swung about their pivotsinto planes substantially parallel with the plane of the base forcollapsing the device. a I I A represents the base of the supportingdevice which, in the construction shown, consists of a substantiallyrectangular frame having side bars a and transverse bars a connected attheir opposite ends to the side bars. The base is provided withextensions orlugs a which in the construction shown are formed by theends of the side bars a.

B B represents the pivoted frame members which in the embodiment of theinvention shown are of substantially U-shape having side bars r legs 6and an upper connecting bar Z) which may be curved or otherwise shapedto receive the object to be supported. The lower ends of the legs I) arepivotally connected with the lugs a of the base by means of pins orpivots 6 The frames shown are wider at their lower or pivoted ends thanat their upper ends, so that one frame may swing between the legs of theother frame to permit the frames to be swung from their operative orerect positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to their folded or inoperativepositions in which the frames lie close to and substantially parallelwith the base, as shown in Fig. 3. The upper ends of the legs I) arepreferably bent at an angle to the other portions of the legs at 6 sothat when the two frames are in their operative positions, as shown inFig. 2, the upper endsof the legs will stand substantially upright andbear flatly one against the other while the lower portions of the framesdiverge from the contacting upper ends thereof to their vpivotalconnections with the base.

Means are provided for rigidly holding the frames B B in their uprightor operative positions consisting preferably of hooked parts on one ofthe frames adapted to engage the other frame. In the construction shown,a cross bar C is secured to one of the frames and the ends of the barare bent to form hooks c c. The bar 0 is preferably welded or otherwisesecured to the frame 13 at the points 5 where the legs are bent andthehooks engage the other framealso at the bent portions. In placing theframes into their operative positions, the frames are swung into aposition in which the upper end of the frame B is under the hooks c 0and the frames are then swung together into the upright position shownin Fig. 2, which produces a relative endwise movement of the frames andcauses the hooks 0 c to slip over the upper end of the frame B. Theframe B will then be embraced by the hooks and the bend b in the frame Bwill prevent the further swinging of the frame B toward the frame B.When a weight is supported on the upper ends of the frames B B theframes will be prevented from swinging back in the other direction, sothat the parts of the stand will be rigidly held in their operativepositions. When the stand is not in use the frames B B are swung to theleft in Fig. 2 until the frame B is disengaged from the hooks 0 c andone of the frames can then be swung between the legs of the other frameIn the use of the device shown in Fig. 1,

the supporting device is placed beneath the intermediate portion of theframe of a motoroycle D and is placed forwardly from the center ofgravity so that the weight of the motorcycle rests 011 the supportingdevice and on the usual pivoted support d provided on the rear portionof the frame. By means of the supporting device described and the rearsupport (Z, a motorcycle can be supported with the front wheel off ofthe ground, or so that none of its weight rests on the tires, thusrendering the tires accessible for repairs or avoiding injury to thetires during storageof the cycle.

I claim as my invention:

1. A supporting device, comprising a base, frames pivoted at the baseand adapted to swing into positions substantially parallel with the baseand into inclined positions in which the frames converge upwardly towardeach other and in which the-upper ends of said frames bear against eachother for supporting each other in their inclined positions, and meansfor securingthe frames together when in their inclined positions.

2. A supporting device, comprising a base, frames pivoted at the baseand adapted to swing into positions substantially parallel with the baseand into inclined positions in which the frames converge upwardly towardeach other, the upper portions of the frames being bent to bear oneagainst the other when the frames are in their inclined positions, andmeans engaging the upper portions of the frames to limit the movement ofthe frames relatively to each other.

3. A supporting device, comprisinga base, 1

frames pivoted at the base and adapted to swing into positionssubstantially parallel with the base and into inclined positions inwhich the frames converge upwardly toward each other and having theirupper ends shaped to support an object, said frames being held inengagement by the weight of said object, and hooks connecting said upperportions of the frames for releasably holding the frames together whenin their inclined positions.

"swing into positions substantially parallel with the base and intoinclined positions in which the frames converge upwardly toward eachother and rest against each other to support an object at their upperends, said frames being held in engagement by the weight of said object,and means for holding the frames in their inclined posi tions.

5. A supporting device, comprising a base, swinging frames pivoted onsaid base and adapted to swing into positions substantially parallelwiththe base and into inclined positions in which the frames convergeupwardly toward each other, the upper portions of the frames being bentto assume substantially vertical positions when said frames are in theirinclined positions, and rigid hooked portions secured to the upperportion of one of saidframes and having parts with which the verticalportion of the other frame can be moved into engagement for holding saidframes in their inclined positions.

6. A supporting device comprising a base, swinging frames having theirlower ends pivoted to said base, said frames being adapted to swing intoa position in which the upper ends of the frames rest against eachother, and means for securing the frames together when in their inclinedpositions including a part rigidly secured to one of the frames andhaving hooked portions with which the other frame is adapted to be movedinto engagement for holding the frames in their inclined positions.

7. A supporting device comprising a base, swinging frames ofsubstantially U-shape having their open ends pivoted to said base andadapted to swing into a position in which the upper closed ends of theframes rest against and support each other, one of the frames beingadapted to swing between the sides of the other frame, and means en- 7gaging the upper portions of said frames to hold the same in theirinclined positions.

8. A supporting device comprising a base, consisting of longitudinal andtransverse bars, swinging frames 'of'substantially U- shape having theiropen ends pivoted to the longitudinal bars of said base, said framesbeing adapted to swing into positions substantially parallel with saidbase and into inclined positions in which the upper ends of the framesrest one against the other, and means secured to one of said frames andadapted to embrace the other frame to hold the frames in their inclinedpositions.

9. Asupporting device comprising a base, swinging frames ofsubstantially 'U-shape having their open ends pivoted to said baseWitness my hand this 20th day of September 1915.

WESLEY J. ARMSTRONG.

Witnesses H. C. BURROWs, F. L. PATTISON.

and being Wider at their open ends than at their other ends to permitone of said frames to swing between the sides of the other frame, saidframes when in their inclined position resting one against the other,and means for holding the frames in their inclined positions.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). G.

